(Practical Combat Grounds, Rodova Military Academy)

    As Leo stepped into the Practical Combat Grounds once again, sporting a bruised face and a slightly swollen eye, his physical condition immediately became the center of everyone’s attention.

    Whispers rippled through the training grounds, as the elite class students tried to theorize what had happened to him.

    Since it was common knowledge that both he and Su Yang had been kicked out of Professor David’s class, many assumed the two had clashed afterward, with Leo ending up on the losing end.

    While the others speculated that he had foolishly provoked a senior or an instructor which would be in-line with his freakish personality.

    However, as if completely unaffected by the gossip around him, Leo stood tall.

    His posture was proud, his expression unshaken, as a subtle but unmistakable confidence radiated from him.

    The very air around him felt different now compared to just this morning, as he seemed to no longer fear the opinions of the students around him.

    With the knowledge of his combat techniques restored, something deep inside him had shifted.

    It was almost like a sliver of his natural arrogance—his brash, unshakable presence—was creeping back, as his eyes looked at the surrounding students more as underlings rather than peers.

    The change was subtle, but significant.

    Just this morning, he stood amongst the class line-up in a spot where he would draw the least amount of eyes, with his shoulders slouched and his eyes gazing at something distant.

    It was almost like he Sub-Consciously avoided eye contact, since he did not have the guts to pick a fight.

    But now?

    Now, he stood tall, shoulders squared, meeting the stares of those who dared look at him—challenging them with nothing but his presence, as he turned into a full blown menace.

    With his combat knowledge restored, he feared no-one.

    And it reflected in his attitude, with Mu Ryan being one of the first ones to notice this change in him.

    "Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah! What the hell happened to you, big bro? Where did you suddenly pick up so much swagger from?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

    However, Leo simply shrugged her away.

    "I’ve always been this way."

    His voice came out deeper than expected, catching even him off guard.

    Mu Ryan narrowed her eyes. "Nahhh—something definitely happened between Professor David’s class and now. You feel way too overbearing for it to be nothing major."

    Her gaze flickered toward Su Yang, who stood off to the side, arms folded, a deep frown on his face.

    He, too, was staring at Leo—but with a hazy, confused expression that looked like it belonged to a disillusioned lover who had just had a messy breakup.

    "Scoring will be simple—

    Zero points for a draw.

    Minus one for a loss.

    Plus two for a win.

    Once all of you have fought every opponent at least once, we will hold weekly leaderboard matchups every Sunday.

    The Top 10 rankers will participate in an exhibition match, where the rest of the class will observe and learn.

    I will personally critique those matches—breaking down your mistakes, analyzing your movements, and teaching you how to improve. That will be the most informative part of this class."

    Hen’s gaze swept over the crowd, his words laced with a deliberate intensity.

    "If you have any intention of qualifying for the circuits as a first-year, your performance in these leaderboard matches is critical.

    At the end of my four weeks, I will be submitting three names to Principal Alric—my personal recommendations for the circuits.

    And while my endorsement alone won’t guarantee selection, it will carry significant weight in your candidacy.

    So, if you want to make a name for yourself in the Military Inter-Academy Circuits, if you want to be noticed by the strongest and most powerful organizations in the universe—

    Fight like hell.

    Claw your way to every win you can get."

    Hen’s fists clenched as he spoke, his voice carrying an unmistakable edge of challenge—an unspoken dare for them to rise to the occasion as he tried to rile up the heat within everyone’s young blood.

    And it worked out well, for as Leo glanced around, he could see the shift in everyone’s expressions.

    His fellow students’ expressions had hardened.

    Determination. Hunger.

    Every single one of them wanted this.

    The circuits were the golden ticket. The one chance to be scouted and recruited by the universe’s most elite forces.

    And if they had to fight, bleed, and break bones to earn a recommendation spot—

    Then so be it.

    "SIR, I JIANG GU WILL BE THE ONE TO GET THAT RECOMMENDATION SIR!" Shouted a candidate, who declared his desire to win like a moron, which immediately painted him as a target for the rest of the class, and even pissed Leo off.

    ’Like hell you would..... the mission requires me to qualify for the circuits and if this recommendation can help me do so then I’m not letting a single one of you past me.

    Jiang Gu of the Gu clan? I’m gonna break your bones when we meet in battle—’ Leo thought, as he coldly marked the loudmouth as a personal project.